1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wrist roller exercise device. More specifically, it relates to a wrist roller exercise device having a cable suspended spool cradle to support the weight of the device to relieve the arms, shoulders and back of the user.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A wrist roller exercise is a common exercise for strengthening the grip and forearms of an exerciser who stands vertically with arms fully extended forward from the body and fixed and held at shoulder level. With hands gripping either side of a wrist roller exercise device (a shaft or rod with a center portion or spool for a strap or rope attachment, and gripping handles on each end) the exerciser alternatively twists the handles at opposite ends of the rod which in turn serves to coil up the rope or strap attached to the wrist roller exercise device. The effect is to cause the weighted device (weight plate, etc.) attached to the opposite end of the strap or rope to rise systematically from the starting point at floor level to the conclusion at the uppermost range of the exercise movement. The exerciser then reverses the twisting of the handles motion until the weighted device once again reaches the floor level and repeats the process for a desired number of repetitions. The simplest form of a wrist roller exercise device comes in the form of a simple straight shaft to which a rope or strap attaches to the center portion thereof with gripping surfaces on either end of the shaft or rod. Attached to an opposing end of the rope or strap is a simple weight plate holder as a means of adding necessary resistance to the wrist roller exercise device. The primary drawback to this traditional form of a wrist roller exercise device is that the exerciser commonly experiences trapezoid and shoulder muscle fatigue long before exhausting the targeted muscles of the forearms, wrists and hands. This occurs because the users of the traditional wrist roller exercise device must maintain an out stretched arm position under load for extended periods of time in order to achieve the desired exercise repetitions. The end result of this inability to direct focus energy into desired muscle groups is a less than optimal training effect. A lesser drawback to the traditional wrist roller exercise device is the inability to affix alternate weighted implements such as dumbbells to the wrist roller exercise device rope or strap.
A number of prior art patents describe wrist rolling exercise devices which are fully supported by the arms, shoulders and back of the user. In these devices there is no frame member whatsoever to support any of the weight of the device. Sarich, U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,755, discloses the provision of a rod 15 which is used in connection with a wound cord 13. This particular patent utilizes a transparent bottle 11 which has level indicators on it so that when it is filled with water the amount of weight can be precisely changed.
Gorczyca, U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,934, discloses a wrist and forearm exerciser which includes an elongated handle rod 12, a line 13 and a plurality of weights 17. The handle rod has a pair of grasping sleeves 19.
Brundle, U.S. Pat. No. 6,312,359, discloses a grip exercise apparatus which includes first and second end portions 12 and 14 and a center portion 16. A weight support cable 38 is used to connect a flexible bag 40. Any number of and different type of weight elements 44 may be inserted into the flexible bag 40 to provide any desired total weight.
Lagattuta, U.S. Design Pat. D505,459, discloses a similar forearm exercise device. McCaleb et al., U.S. Design Pat. Des. 264,237, likewise discloses a similar handheld exercise device.
DeMers, U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,437, discloses a similar exercise apparatus but which utilizes a lanyard or strap 12 connected at one end to a weight 11 adapted to be wound and unwound around an elongate body 13.
Bidak, U.S. Pat. No. 2,475,656, discloses yet another handheld exercise device which includes a shaft 10 which holds a drum 11 consisting of discs 15 and 16 connected together by pins or rungs 25. This forms an annular arrangement around which the cord 12 is wound.
Other references disclose the provision of a wrist roller exercise device which is supported on opposite ends by some type of supporting frame. One such reference is the Power Wrist Roller—#C-0140 from the New York Barbell of Elmira Corp.
A somewhat similar device is disclosed in Davenport, U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,949, which discloses the provision of an axel unit 12 rotatably received and carried by an adjustable stand 14. Detachable handle units 18 are shown. The weights 54a and 54b may be received by the cord 52 and rest upon the platform 56. The handles are telescopic so that you can selectively vary the leverage while rolling up the device.
Lear, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 7,029,423, discloses yet another cord-winding exercise apparatus which includes a winding bar 12 which is mounted on a door frame 50 by brackets 18 and 22 at opposite ends thereof. The brackets 18 and 22 are preferably formed of nylon, plastic, silicone or other low friction material. FIGS. 1-3 show two cords 24-34 attached to the winding bar 12 through openings 15. FIG. 4, shows an arrangement with a single cord 78.
Benedict, U.S. Pat. No. 332,989, shows a very early patent from 1885 which discloses the provision of a wrist rolling device which includes a cord and pulley mechanism on a horizontal bar. For the purpose of utilizing the horizontal bar as a wrist roller, the cords of the pulley weights are detached from the pulleys I and passed through and attached to removable or fixed eyebolts P in the horizontal bar, and the pin C removed, so that the bar may freely turn in its sockets. This device provides a horizontal bar in a cabinet exercising apparatus.
A couple of patents appear to discuss the concept of gripping the bar and the amount of friction needed to accomplish such gripping. Kamp, U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,033 discloses an isotonic exercising device which includes a base strip 12, a straight rod 20 and a pair of elongated flat straps 22 and 24. Kamp teaches that an important element of the apparatus is the material for gripping the rod such as a pair of gloves 40. The gloves 40 are preferably made of leather or other material which will have sufficient friction relative to the metal rod to make it possible to retard rotation of the rod by gripping and yet allow the rod to slip in the gloves. Kamp also teaches “an alternative to gloves is a sleeve of leather or the like which fits on the rod with a slip fit”. A sleeve may be provided on each end of the rod. In use, the straps 22 and 24 have been rolled on the rod so that at the beginning of the exercise the rod is just below waist level. The user raises the rod until the straps 22 and 24 are taut. Then the user forces the rod upwardly and allows the rod to rotate in his hands against the leather surface of the gloves while gripping the rod relatively hard so that considerable force is required to unroll the straps from the rolls 26 and 28 thus allowing the rod to move upward. The amount of effort required to carry out the exercise is regulated by the strength with which the user grips the rod. Thus the principle of the device is based on grip slippage.
Veillette, U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,920 discloses a hand held exercise device which includes sleeves 5 formed of a resilient material such as leather, plastic or rubber such that the sleeves can be “squeezed against the body 1 to prevent rotation”. The sleeves 5 are retained on the body 1 by plastic cap ends 7 and by a central plastic sleeve 8. This device utilizes a rope or cord 11 to carry a conventional circular weight 14. The weight is slid onto an inverted t-shaped holder 16. Each of the sleeves 5 is gripped in one hand. By squeezing one side of the device and rotating, the cord 11 can be caused to coil around the central sleeve 8, lifting the weight 14. The pressure on such one side of the device is relaxed and the other side or sleeve is squeezed and rotated. Thus, by alternatively squeezing, rotating and releasing the two ends of the device the cord can be caused to coil around the sleeve 8 and raise the weight 14. In this manner, the fingers, hands, wrists and arms are exercised.
While many different wrist roller exercise devices have been proposed such devices each have significant drawbacks. The devices which do not include a frame require the user to use arm, shoulder and back muscles to hold the bar in a desired location before and during the wrist rolling exercise causing fatigue to muscle groups which a wrist roller exercise device is not intended to address. Existing devices which provide a supporting frame unduly restrict the XYZ direction in which the wrist roller exercise device can move thereby directing most of the force of the exercise to the hands and fingers and away from the wrists. Only if the wrist roller exercise device is free to move in all three directional planes (XYZ) can a device direct increased focus on exercising the wrists of the user. Thus, there remains a need for such a device.